Beauty Sleep
by R.S. Magic
Summary: Emma and Regina have just settled into a beautiful life together. However, not everything is perfect. Every couple has the task of learning the good and bad quirks about each other once they start living together. When Regina finds out that Emma isn't always the ideal sleeping partner, her desperation for sleep causes some problems between the two.
1. Chapter 1

Sleeping Beauty

Regina let out a heavy sigh as she turned off the alarm. Carefully, she raised her arms above her head for a slow stretch and winced at the tightness in her muscles. This was going to be a long day. She loved having Emma next to her and wouldn't have it any other way, but this was the third night in a row she hadn't had a restful night's sleep. Every one has their quirks, and one exhausting quirk that Regina had come to learn about Emma was that she was not always the best sleeping partner. Emma was sometimes a restless sleeper…a restless sleeper who liked to take up the whole bed. Regina had attempted to push her over, to gently wake her and ask her to scoot over so she wouldn't be pushed out of bed. All of her efforts were in vain. Her blonde haired lover proved to be a very heavy sleeper and one that was not easily broken from slumber. Some nights, Regina wondered if she hadn't accidentally placed Emma under a sleeping curse before drifting off. She might believe that if it weren't for the overcrowding. Snuggling was one thing, but the Queen was being pushed out of her own bed. This would not do. She smirked a little at the revelation that she had been so incredibly patient with the Savior on this subject. There was a time when the Evil Queen would have never allowed someone to sleep in her bed, let alone suffer such an inconvenience. What had Emma Swan done to her? Was she losing her edge? Regina glanced down at the woman sleeping peacefully next to her and smiled. Emma had been breaking down the fortress Regina had built around herself since she set foot in Storybrooke. She truly was the Savior. _Her_ Savior. She placed a soft kiss upon Emma's cheek before beginning her morning ritual and heading off for work. First, she would have to stop by Granny's for coffee and plenty of it.

Regina had divided her work into "before lunch" and "after lunch" tasks. Halfway through her "before lunch" work, she received a text from Emma.

 _Good morning Madame Mayor :)_

 **Good morning, Miss Swan.**

 _You look beautiful today 3_

 **You haven't even seen me today. Are you spying on me?**

 _No. But you're always beautiful ;)_

Regina smiled. It was strange to have this feeling again. She had long forgotten what it felt like to be flirted with, cared for, courted. Emma had insisted on romancing her. It was something that took Regina by surprise. She never would have taken Emma for the hopeless romantic type, but it had been a pleasant surprise. She had to admit that it felt nice. She was even beginning to allow herself to spoil and romance Emma a little in return.

 **Sweet talking me already, Sheriff?**

 _Just making sure you don't get away._

 **Miss Swan, I am the Mayor and a Queen. Do you honestly believe I would allow someone else to take the gorgeous, dare I say…Charming, Sheriff for themselves? I reserve the very best this town has to offer for myself.**

 _Wow. How hard was it to admit you're with a "Charming?"_

 **Let's not push it, Miss Swan.**

 _I'm flattered, Your Majesty. I'm all yours. Lunch in twenty?_

 **See you soon. xoxo**

… _.._

Emma greeted Regina with a bright smile. Regina couldn't help but smile at the knowledge that she was the reason for the Savior's smile. As they embraced, Regina deeply inhaled the sweet smell of Emma's hair. It was something that instantly put her soul at ease in a way she could never have imagined. Emma pulled back to look into her eyes and smile before placing a sweet and simple kiss on her full red lips. Together, they walked hand in hand into Granny's. Everyone in town had just started getting used to seeing the two of them openly affectionate with each other. The town was divided between those who saw the pairing coming from a mile away and those who were utterly shocked. It provided the two with great entertainment. When confronted with a townsperson they knew was a little shocked by their new relationship, they took great pleasure in making a sickeningly sweet display.

Today, they chose to sit at the counter. Ruby was more than delighted. She loved observing these two women together. They fascinated her. Granny, however, was one of those who couldn't figure out how the two ended up together. Regina decided to have a little fun as she saw Granny approaching them with their food. She began to play with Emma's hair and lean in close to her ear.

"Ten bucks says I get Granny to drop something today," she whispered in a sultry, mischievous tone.

Emma giggled and placed her hand on Regina's knee, leaning into her. She rubbed her nose against Regina as she whispered, "You're on."

As Granny was almost right in front of them, Regina shamelessly pushed Emma's hair away from her ear and ran her tongue in the shell of it before she clasped her lobe between her teeth playfully. Emma gasped, more than a little flustered. Regina place a kiss to her cheek before giving her that wicked smile that made Emma warm inside.

"I'm tempted to take you right here on this counter," she said in a husky deep voice loud enough for Granny to hear.

The two jumped as their plates banged against the counter. Granny shot Regina a look to kill. "Do you need some water, Madame Mayor?"

Regina gave Granny her best smile. "No, thank you. I have everything I need right here."

Regina proceeded to plant a fiery passionate kiss on Emma's lips before turning nonchalantly to her lunch. She took a satisfying bite of one of Emma's fries and smirked at Granny once more. Emma sat breathless for a moment trying to come back to herself. In a fluster, Granny whipped around and crashed right into Ruby who was carrying a tray of drinks. Ruby shrieked as the cold beverages drenched her. Granny huffed away to grab a mop as Ruby pouted away to clean herself up and remake the drinks. Regina could barely contain her laughter as Emma sat with her jaw dropped.

Regina leaned in and whispered once more, "I take cash."

"Regina," Emma scolded.

"Oh don't act so innocent. You took the bet," Regina replied before going back to her sandwich.

Emma sighed and laughed. "We should probably give her a break. How about I get lunch? Deal?"

Regina nodded. "Deal."

She giggled as Emma shook her head at her and sighed placing a playful kiss on her cheek. By the time they were finished with lunch, Regina felt the excitement of their break fading. She let out a heavy yawn and checked her watch for the time.

"I need to get back to work. I have a ton of paperwork waiting for me."

Emma pouted, "Ok. Go so you can be home in time for dinner."

Regina smiled and gave her a quick kiss. "Thanks for lunch, Miss Swan."

Emma smiled at the wink Regina gave her. "Anytime, hot stuff."

Regina shot her a look that promised consequences later before walking out the door. Emma laughed delighted that she was able to enjoy this side of Regina most people never see. She felt as if she had been given a precious gift. She decided to find some special way to spoil her tonight to show her just how much she appreciated the way Regina opened up to her, trusted her.

…

Not thirty minutes after Regina had gotten back to work, she felt the effects of her sleepless night and her now full stomach sinking in. With a sigh, she reevaluated her work load for the day and made a plan of attack. Once she had completed her prioritized tasks, she would allow herself to indulge in a power nap on the couch in her office. She set an alarm on her cell phone allowing her thirty minutes before she needed to get back to work and make it home in time for dinner. Regina fell asleep almost immediately after curling up on the designer sofa. It wasn't until she heard her office phone ringing that she jumped up. Clumsily, she hurried over to answer the phone before it was too late. It was Archie calling to confirm their appointment for tomorrow. Regina sighed and assured him she would be there. Once she and Emma began to realize their feelings for each other, Regina went into panic mode. Her heart was in turmoil over wanting to run away and not wanting to keep missing her chance at love and happiness. She had been seeing Archie for about a month now just to be able to talk about her feelings, fears, and insecurities. He had been a wonderful reassurance for Regina. She was honestly thinking it may not be necessary to see him anymore, but that was something she would leave for tomorrow's session.

Regina ran her fingers through her hair and checked the time. Two hours! She checked the alarm on her phone to make sure she had set it correctly but it seemed that she had dismissed it in her sleep. Regina had overslept and now felt even more sluggish than she had before. As she settled back to her desk frantically opening her inbox, her cell phone buzzed. Without looking she let out a growl of frustration and answered, "What!?"

Emma flinched at the tone of her voice on the other end. "Jesus! It's me. What's wrong?"

Regina sighed letting her forehead fall into her palm. "I'm sorry, Emma. I'm just a little stressed out right now and swamped with work. I think I'm going to be a little later than I hoped."

Emma whined, "Aww, can't it wait for tomorrow?"

Regina in her exhausted state snapped at her. It was her fault she felt this way after all, her tired brain reasoned. "No, it can't, Emma! I'm the Mayor! I have responsibilities. Someone has to run this town."

Emma frowned at her phone. "I'm sorry for wanting to spend time with you. I'll leave you alone."

Regina groaned, "Emma, wait. I'm sorry. I'm not trying to take this out on you. I'm just not myself today."

"It's ok. I understand. We all have bad days. I'll see you when you get home."

The brunette instantly regretted snapping on her. This woman was so patient and forgiving. "I don't deserve you, Emma."

Emma smiled, "Yeah well…you put up with my shit too."

Regina laughed at the eloquent way Emma always said sweet things. "I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Take your time. I'll be there."

After hanging up, Regina gazed at her phone with a sad smile and kissed it gently. She didn't think she would ever get used to having someone who would be there. She hadn't known what it felt like to have someone so patient with her who cared for her unconditionally since her father and Daniel were alive. It amazed and frightened her, the effect the love of the Savior had on her. By the time Regina was finished with work, she managed to only be an hour later than expected. As the wearily made her way into her home, a familiar smell filled her senses. Emma was preparing her favorite meal. She hung up her coat and purse in the closet and proceeded into the kitchen. Carefully, she peeked around the corner to find Emma in a tank top and yoga pants. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail that swayed as she danced around the kitchen to The Cure.

"Henry, is your homework done," she called out.

Henry bounced into the kitchen next to Emma, looking over her shoulder. "Yep! It's all done."

"All of it?"

Henry gave her a sarcastic look, "Yes, mom. Now how can I help?"

Regina smiled with tears in her eyes as she leaned against the door frame watching them. "I need you to set the table. Make everything look really nice ok? You're mom's had a hard day."

Henry smiled his brightest smile excited to help his mom spoil his other mother. "I know just what to do!"

Regina carefully slipped off her heels so she could sneak quietly upstairs to change and allow the two more time to prep. She knew how disappointed they would be knowing they hadn't completed the surprise in time. It warmed her heart to see how special things like this were to them. It once pained her to notice similarities between her son and Emma, but now she found the instances he took after her endearing. Regina slipped on her own pair of black yoga pants and a white fitted short sleeve shirt. One thing she could credit Emma for was making her a little more casual at home. Yet, even Regina's "comfortable clothes" looked sleek and fashionable. She made her way back down the stairs nearly colliding with Henry as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Mom! You're home!"

She smiled and kissed his forehead. "I am. What are you two cooking up in here," she asked as they walked into the kitchen.

Emma spun around with a surprised smile. "When did you get here!? I didn't even hear you come in."

Regina shrugged. "I've just been here long enough to change. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Nope! Just sit back and relax. It's almost ready. You've had a long day and I'm gonna make it up to you," she said as she kissed her cheek on her way to the fridge.

Regina smiled as she sat at the island to watch the two of them. Henry came up to her very gentleman like, "Would you care for a glass of wine?"

She laughed and engaged in the play, "Wine would be lovely! Thank you, kind sir."

"Would you prefer red or white, my lady?"

Regina smiled thinking she had taught her son well. "Well let's see, what are we having for dinner?"

"Tonight's special is lemon chicken with angel hair pasta in a white cream sauce."

Emma smiled at her over her shoulder knowing it was her favorite. Regina gave her a grateful smile in return. "I believe I will have a glass of Chardonnay then, please."

Henry bowed to her, "Right away, Your Majesty."

Emma laughed and groaned a little, "Please tell me you did not train our kid to cater to your royal highness."

Regina gave her a look of mock horror. "I would never train him to do anything. He's not a pet, he's my son. I can't help he has impeccable manners."

As Henry poured the glass of wine, Emma swatted him with the dish towel that had been perched on her shoulder. "Hey! Are you old enough to be serving alcohol?"

"She's not paying for this, Sheriff. I'm not selling it. I'm not breaking any laws."

Regina laughed as he handed her the glass. "And you thought the Queen mother was his worst bit of luck? Like a 13 year old needs the Sheriff policing him as his mother."

Henry laughed as she gave him a wink. Emma shot her a look over her shoulder. "Hey!"

"The wine is perfect, Henry. Thank you." She gave him a kiss on the cheek as he went to return the bottle to it's home.

Henry leaned back against the counter as Emma plated the food. "I make a pretty good bartender."

Emma handed him the salad bowl and the bread bowl with a smirk. "Here, make yourself a better server right now and get these to the table."

Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's waist. "Looks like someone else wanted to be the bossy mother tonight."

Emma turned in her arms and kissed her soundly. "I just wanted everything to be perfect, to spoil you a little."

"Thank you," she said sincerely before giving her another loving kiss.

…..

After dinner, Emma set Regina up to soak in a hot bath while she and Henry cleaned up. Emma had sprinkled red rose petals in the water and performed a peace bath spell she had found in one of Regina's books. Soft classical music wafted through the air. Regina had to admit this was exactly what she needed after a long day. As the hot water enveloped her body, she felt all of her muscles start to relax. She had been drifting off to sleep when Emma slipped into the bathroom and gently kissed her forehead.

"Hey, you," she said smiling down at her.

Regina slowly opened her eyes and sighed with a stretch, "Hello."

Emma smiled. "Did you have a good bath?"

Regina smiled and nodded. "Mmm, it was wonderful. Thank you, Emma."

Emma held out an oversized fluffy towel. "Looks like the water is getting cool. Ready to get out for your next surprise?"

Regina stood up and moaned with delight as Emma wrapped the toasty warm towel fresh from the dryer around her. "God, you spoil me."

Emma laughed, "Happily. Now, dry off and come lay down on the bed."

Regina could only allow herself to quietly obey commands. Between the wine and the bath, she was feeling very heavy. Emma had turned down the bed and arranged the pillows for her. She gently instructed Regina to lay down on her stomach and get comfortable. Regina obeyed the command with ease as she sank into the pillows with a heavy sigh. She noted that her pillow smelled of lavender and smiled serenely at the thought Emma had put into this evening. In that instant, she felt incredibly guilty for snapping at her earlier that day.

Lazily, she mumbled, "Emma, I'm sorry I was so horrible on the phone earlier. You've been so good to me tonight. I…"

"Shh…it's all right. Just relax," Emma said as she ran her hands over Regina's back. Gently, she kissed her shoulder before continuing to massage the tension of the day away from her.

Regina moaned with relief. She could feel the light vibration of Emma's loving white magic seeping from her hands as they worked over her muscles. She had never felt so completely relaxed and serene. After Emma felt the tension slipping away from her, she lightened her touches to more of a soft caress over Regina's body. It wasn't long before she noticed the even rhythm of her breathing and realized Regina had fallen asleep. Emma smiled down at the woman beneath her. She knew what a monumental thing it was to have the queen so vulnerable under her hands. The trust that Regina gave her overwhelmed her at times. There was nothing Emma wouldn't do for this woman. She would always do whatever it took to protect her happiness, to be _her_ Savior. Emma gently pulled the blankets over her sleeping lover and quietly slipped into bed. She laid next to Regina gazing at her, memorizing again every detail of her face and the way she breathed before drifting off into her own slumber.

The next morning, Regina awoke after the first peaceful rest she'd had in days. Emma's arm was draped over her waist as the sunlight filtered in, highlighting her blonde tendrils. A soft smile stole across her face as she gently caressed Emma's cheek and placed a small kiss upon her lips. Emma stirred a little letting a quick sleepy smile appear. Regina laughed softly and whispered something they hadn't dared to say to each other.

"I love you."

Emma let out a sleepy sigh, her eyes still closed as she replied, "Mmm…I love you too."

With tears in her eyes, Regina kissed her forehead before slipping out of bed to prepare for the day. She knew there was a chance Emma hadn't fully registered what she had said to her in her sleeping state, but she had returned the sentiment naturally. The innocence and purity of that moment touched her deeply. Tonight would be her turn to spoil Emma, her love, her Savior. Regina left a note on the bedside table letting Emma know she had decided to take Henry to school this morning. It had become routine for Emma to take Henry to school every morning. However, Regina decided to wake Henry early for a change of plans. Slipping quietly into his room, she gently ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead, much like she had done with his mother this morning.

"Henry? Wake up, sweetheart," she said softly, her voice almost like a song.

Sleepy and confused, he rolled over. "Mom? What are you doing?"

"I thought we could get an early start this morning so I can take you to school today. I need your help," she smiled.

Instantly, Henry was fully awake and filled with curiosity. "What kind of help? Is something wrong?"

She shook her head smiling, "No, dear. Nothing is wrong. I thought you might be able to help me plan something special in return for Emma tonight."

Henry practically jumped out of bed. "Yeah! What did you have in mind?"

She laughed and hugged him tightly. His enthusiasm for helping the people he loved find happiness was so beautiful. He truly was the Savior's son. It was the first real moment as she held him that she realized how incredibly blessed she was to be the mother of Emma's child. "Well I wanted to ask you what your ideas might be first. How about you get dressed and we'll grab a quick breakfast at Granny's to brainstorm before school?"

"Awesome! Operation Lady Bug is on," he exclaimed as her ransacked his drawers for clothes.

"Operation Lady Bug," Regina questioned.

"Yeah! It's what I call it when you need me to help you do something nice for Emma," he explained.

Regina was intrigued. "Did you have a code name for helping Emma last night?"

"Yeah," Henry admitted, "but I can't tell you. It wouldn't be special anymore. You can't tell Emma the name for Operation Lady Bug either."

She chuckled and tousled his hair. "I won't," she promised.

…..

Regina began her work day by rearranging her tasks for the day and making a plan of attack for the week so that she could spend the second half of her day preparing for her evening with Emma. By the time her usual lunch date with Emma would come around, she would be finished with her prioritized work for the day. Then, Operation Lady Bug would be in full swing. At 12:15, Regina received a text message from Emma just as she was heading out the door. She was surprised she hadn't heard from Emma sooner.

 _Hey! I'm sorry I haven't messaged you before now. It's been a crazy day. I had to bust up a fight. Wanna do lunch?_

 **Are you all right? I would love to, but I can't today. Things are a little hectic here as well.**

 _Again? I'm sorry you don't seem to be catching a break this week. And yes, I'm fine._

 **Oh but I did, my dear. Last night was absolutely wonderful. I can't tell you how much I appreciated it. Thank you, Emma.**

 _I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. You work too hard. I like spoiling my queen. :)_

 **My Savior. Have a good lunch and don't work too hard yourself, Sheriff. I'll see you at home tonight. Don't be late.**

 _Is that an order?_

 **I am your boss, Miss Swan…but no. It's merely a request from a queen who adores you.**

 _As you wish, my lady._

Regina stood in the office of the school waiting as Henry ran in nearly bursting with excitement.

"I'm ready! Let's go! Operation Lady Bug!"

Regina laughed, "How did I ever let you talk me into this?"

"Come on, Mom. I never leave school early. I'm a good student. One day isn't gonna kill my shot at Harvard," he teased.

"It better not, Henry Mills," she said trying to maintain a maternal tone. However, the smile on her face gave her away.

"Did you tell Emma she doesn't have to pick me up today?"

"Oh! No, I didn't," she said grabbing her phone. "What would I do without you?"

Henry beamed. "Probably be totally lost."

Regina cupped his chin and gave him a sincere look. "I absolutely would be lost without you, Henry. I love you."

Henry hugged her tight. "I love you too, Mom."

Regina sent Emma a quick text.

 **I'm going to pick Henry up from school today.**

 _Should I be worried? Are you two up to something? Is everything ok?_

 **Nothing to worry about, dear. I just missed doing it, that's all.**

 _Oh, ok. You know, we could take turns or do it together. I don't want you to feel like I'm monopolizing Henry._

 **I know you're not. Our arrangement has been perfectly fine. I just felt like changing it up today. No worries, dear. See you at home xoxo**

 _Ok :) Have fun! 3_

Their first stop was to pick up some DVDs for movie night. Henry enthusiastically roamed the aisles picking out Emma's favorites. Regina looked at the titles as he handed them to her and rolled her eyes at a few, however the gesture was always followed by a soft smile. The next stop was to the market to get Emma's favorite foods. When Henry had mentioned ordering pizza, Regina suggested they make their own instead. He praised her brilliance as they gathered the toppings and ingredients. Once everything had been purchased, they headed home to set up the den. Henry helped his mother put the groceries away before rounding up blankets and oversized pillows. He padded the floor with sleeping bags, spreading a comforter out on top of it. Then, he set some blankets aside (Emma's favorite included) and arranged the pillows against the couch for them to lean against. Regina found him and smiled.

"Waddya think?"

"I think it's perfect."

Henry beamed. "Me too! Uh, Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Could you like…magic up a big screen TV in here?"

Regina shot him a look. "First of all, it's 'conjure up.' Second of all, you know I don't use magic for things like that."

"But you can. Right?"

"Technically, yes."

"Please? Just this once?"

"Henry, if I had wanted a giant television in my house, I would have one already. It'll be an eye sore."

"You can poof it away when we're done!"

Regina rolled her eyes and sighed at she looked at his pleading gaze. With a smirk and the shake of her head, she conceded. "Fine. But just this once. It goes first thing tomorrow."

"Awesome!"

Henry jumped up and pulled her into a warm hug as she laughed and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. It was getting harder to do that nowadays since he'd grown so tall. The thought made her heart break a little. What she wouldn't do for those two. Between the look in those eyes that Henry and Emma shared, they could persuade her to do just about anything. She had grown weak. _Love is weakness_ , she thought as she laughed to herself. This was the kind of weakness she could handle. With the wave of her hands, a large screen TV appeared in place of the set up they'd had before. Shaking her head with a smile, she left Henry to ogle the TV while she went to change into something more comfortable but still enticing for Emma. Regina had discovered Emma had a weakness for her in tight yoga pants. She'd had to borrow a pair of Emma's once and the effects of wearing those pants were forever burned in her memory. She could feel a passionate warmth spread through her body as she remembered the events and shuddered. Choosing Emma's favorite lingerie, yoga pants, and a low cut, v neck, clingy white t-shirt, Regina was ready. She dabbed a bit of perfume behind her ears and between her cleavage. With a smirk to herself in the mirror, she decided to dab just a little below the waistband of her pants. Emma was certainly in for a treat tonight. When Regina received a text from Emma saying she was on her way home, she ran her hands through her hair and adjusted her bra in the hall mirror. Giving herself an approving nod, she turned around and nearly jumped three feet in the air when she saw Henry.

"What are you doing," he asked, his nose wrinkled.

"I…nothing!"

"You know you don't have to do that right? You already won her over."

"Henry, I wasn't-"

"And this is _family_ night. You can do… _that_ stuff later."

"Henry!" Regina was mortified.

"It's fine. Really. I'm not a kid anymore. I know what happens in adult relationships and it's cool. Whatever. Just…contain yourselves a little around your son, ok?"

Her jaw dropped. She couldn't believe what her baby boy was saying to her. Her face was bright red. "Have we…are we really that bad?"

Henry laughed and put his hand on her shoulder. "Relax, Mom. You guys aren't that bad. I was just teasing you. I do like seeing you two happy and _in love_ ," he said as he batted his eyes. "Just don't spend all of our movie night making out," he concluded with a wink.

She turned and swatted his shoulder. "You are on your way to being banned from movie night."

"No, I'm not."

"Oh really? What makes you so sure?"

He smirked and crossed his arms confidently. "Because you'd know I'd know what you were doing."

"Henry!"

He sighed in relief as Emma walked through the door. She took in Regina's expression and looked at Henry. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," he said holding his hands up in defense.

"Your son is making some seriously inappropriate insinuations about us!"

"Why is he _my_ son when he does something you don't like?"

"Because it's usually your influence!"

"What 'inappropriate insinuations' was he making?"

"That we…well…"

Henry shared a smug smile with Emma as Regina looked frustrated at her loss for words. "Let's just say he's a little too liberal talking about…private matters between us."

"So the kid knows we have sex. You were the one that gave him the talk, Regina. He's not stupid," Emma said with a shrug.

"That doesn't mean I'm comfortable talking about _our_ sex life with our _child!_ Nor am I pleased with the fact that he claims we flaunt it openly."

Emma leaned in to whisper in her ear. "You're the one wearing yoga pants, your majesty."

Regina yelped as Emma landed a firm smack against her backside on her way upstairs to change. Henry laughed as Regina fumed after her. "Emma Swan!"

The exchange had lead to a satisfying make out session in their bedroom before they separated themselves to join Henry downstairs again. He was glad to announce their plans to make their own pizza for dinner and Emma was just as excited about the idea. Regina helped Henry roll out the dough for the first pizza as Emma observed and then attempted to roll out the second. When Regina went to the refrigerator to gather the toppings, Emma and Henry decided to practice throwing the dough in the air and catching it.

"If you drop those on the floor, I'm not ordering replacements," she warned.

Regina had begun to chop the peppers and onions when Emma's dough landed abruptly on top of her head. The two dough flingers froze in fear anticipating the eruption of the Evil Queen. Emma tentatively reached out and lifted the dough to peek at her lover underneath. As expected, Regina was steaming with anger, but as soon as they saw the flour smudged on her face, mother and son broke out in laughter. Regina threw the dough on the counter.

"Idiot! What did I say!?"

Emma fell back against the sink, holding herself up as tear from laughter streamed down her face.

"Mom, you have a little uh…" he started as he pointed to his nose.

Regina scowled at them both, reached for the flour, and rubbed it in Emma's face with a smug smile. Their jaws dropped and Emma stopped laughing. The two looked at each other for a moment, glanced at Henry, and then back at each other. He registered their thinking and started to back out of the kitchen. "No way…"

"I'll grab him," Emma said as Regina gave her a nod and grabbed more flour.

Henry ran out of the kitchen screaming as his mothers pursued him. Emma swiftly tackled him to the floor in the foyer, wrapping her arms and legs around him. "I got him! Go, Regina, go!"

Regina ran forward and rubbed flour over his face as he squirmed and protested. Soon enough, the trio found themselves in a pile of flour and laughter. Emma pulled her phone from her pocket and pulled them close as they captured the moment with a photo. Once they were cleaned up, they finished making the pizzas and put them in the oven. While they were baking, Henry pulled Emma into the den to show her phase two of her surprise.

"My surprise? Phase two? What are you talking about?"

"Look!"

Emma's jaw dropped when she saw the set up in front of the new TV. Henry picked up the pile of DVDs and handed them to her. "We got you favorites!"

Regina walked up next to her, handing her a bottle of her favorite beer with a smile. "Surprise."

Emma took the beer and placed a loving kiss on her lips. "Thank you. This is amazing."

"You're amazing," Regina replied in the most loving voice Emma had ever heard.

The night was perfect. Emma had spent the whole night snuggled between her son and the woman she loved. She thought back on what her life had been and marveled at how she'd ended up where she was now. Never in a million years would she have thought she'd have this; a family of her own. Nestled between those two was the happiest Emma had ever been in her entire life, and she let herself soak in the perfect feeling. When they had decided to call it a night, Regina kissed Henry goodnight and began to clean up. Emma walked him upstairs to tuck him in.

"Thanks for tonight, kiddo. It was perfect. More importantly…thank you for bringing me here, to you and your mom. Thank you for bringing me home."

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Henry."

The two hugged each other tight for a long while before she kissed him and said goodnight. She found Regina downstairs putting the blankets, pillows, and sleeping bags away. Emma walked up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist and nuzzling her nose in the nape of her neck. Regina laid her hands over Emma's and leaned back with a sigh.

"Come to bed with me," Emma whispered.

Regina turned in her arms and pressed a searing kiss to her lips, leaving them breathless. Emma reached down and grabbed Regina's backside firmly, lifting her up off the ground. Regina instantly wrapped her arms and legs around Emma and she backed her up against the wall. A small groan came from Regina as Emma kissed and nipped at her neck hungrily. Regina's hands tangled in her hair as she tightened her legs around Emma in hopes of bringing her center into better contact with Emma's body. As the heat began to build between them, Regina waved her hand and transported them to the bedroom. Emma fell over Regina onto the bed and pressed hot kisses over her cleavage. After a few moments, Regina pulled Emma away from her and rolled them over. Pinning Emma's hands above her head, she gave her a wicked smile. Instantly, Emma found that her hands were magically bound to the headboard. When Regina moved off of the bed, Emma whimpered.

"Regina, please."

"Shhh…just lay back and enjoy."

Regina momentarily disappeared in a burst of purple smoke before she emerged clad in Emma's red jacket, tight dark jeans, and black high heeled boots. Emma attempted to swallow the lump in her throat as her mouth ran dry. A wave of heat surged through her as she gazed at her. Regina raised her eyebrow and smirked.

"Like what you see, Swan?"

"God, yes…" she said breathlessly.

"What if I….took it off," Regina asked as she slowly began to unzip the jacket.

All Emma could do was nod as she watched her. Regina's movements were painfully slow and she tantalizingly revealed her flesh beneath the jacket Regina stepped to the side of the bed to allow Emma a better view of her, her black lace bra perfectly showcasing her breasts beneath the open leather jacket. She walked over to the bedside table and pressed play on the small stereo there. Sexy music softly flooded the room as Regina began to sway her hips, her eyes closed. She let the jacket fall off her shoulders a bit as she held it around her, swaying her hips suggestively as she lowered herself down to the floor and back up again. Regina expertly swung her leg over Emma so the heel of her boot was rested on the bed just on the other side of her. Slowly, she leaned forward, running her hands down her leg to the zipper of her boot. She unzipped it and slid her foot out of it, placing it back on the floor. She lifted the boot up to her shoulder and let it drop the floor. Emma let her head fall back against the pillow as she took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. This woman was driving her wild. Regina repeated her actions with the other boot before resuming her sexy dance, slowly opening her jeans.

Emma's eyes were glued to her as she slid her thumbs beneath the waistband and slowly inched them down, bending over, back arched, wiggling out of them with the music. When she pulled them off, she revealed her black thigh high stockings held up by a black garter belt with red accents and matching lace panties that perfectly showcased the curve of her backside. Regina then let the jacket slide off her shoulders and she tossed it on the chair, placing her hands on her hips. Staring provocatively at her, Regina took in the overwhelming look of desire in Emma's eyes. Regina crawled slowly over the edge of the bed over Emma, placing kisses along her skin as she went. Once she'd reached Emma's lips, they devoured each other in hungry kisses. Soft moans and deep breaths mingled as their bodies pressed close to one another. Regina magically removed Emma's clothing as they kissed, needing to feel her skin against hers. Emma groaned feeling the warm wetness between Regina's legs as she moved against her thigh. She strained against the binding on her wrists, dying to touch the woman she loved. Regina kissed her way down Emma's neck, and then began her loving assault on her breasts. Expertly taking one in her hand, she took the other in her mouth. She began by pressing kisses all around her nipple, teasing her first. Then, she opened her mouth and let it cover Emma's nipple, still without touching. Emma whimpered and arched her back. Regina finally let her tongue softly swirl around the taut flesh before opening her mouth a little more to take in a sharp exhale of cool air. Emma groaned as her head crashed against the pillows once more. Switching sides, Regina brought her mouth to her other beast as she covered the one she'd just tasted with her hand.

Soon enough, Regina began kissing her way down Emma's stomach. Skipping over the place Emma wanted her most, she nipped, kissed, and licked her way around Emma's inner thighs. Once Emma had begun to beg her for more, Regina brought her open mouth to cover her warm center without touching her with her tongue, much like she'd done with her breast before. This time, she slowly let her hot breath out in a wave over Emma's sensitive flesh, earning a satisfying groan. Emma raised her hips in hopes of making more contact with her. Instead she cried out as Regina made another sharp intake of breath, causing cool air to rush across her.

"Oh, God!"

Regina looked up at her and smiled, slowly dipping her tongue between her folds. The only thing missing was Emma's ability to tangled her hands in Regina's hair. But her frustration was soon washed away by the movement of Regina's lips and tongue over her. Soon, she brought her finger to caress the opening just below her mouth and Emma gasped.

"Please, Regina…please…"

Slowly, she let her finger sink deep inside of her. Emma's back arched as her breathing grew heavier. After moving her finger in and out of her a few times, she added one more to her exploration. Emma moaned and whispered her approval. With her fingers and mouth expertly working her over, Regina glanced up as she saw Emma getting closer and closer to completion. Ready to bring her over the edge, Regina placed one more finger inside of her and moved her fingers and mouth faster.

"Oh, God! Oh fuck! Yes! Regina…."

Emma cried out her name over and over as waves of pleasure coursed through her. Regina slowly slid her fingers out of her and gently licked her clean. She wiped her mouth with her other hand and waved the handcuffs away. Emma wrapped her arms and around her held her tight as she caught her breath.

"Oh my God….that was amazing. You are…fucking intense. Jesus Christ that was sexy."

Regina laughed and kissed her cheek. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"Hell yeah, I did."

Regina ran her fingers through Emma's hair lovingly. Emma gazed up at her in wonder. "Thank you so much. Tonight was perfect. You didn't have to repay me you know."

"I know, but it was fun for me," she said with a wink. "I love you, Emma. I like making you as happy as you make me."

"I love you too," she said as she placed a soft kiss to her lips. "Let me show you how much," Emma said as she rolled on top of Regina and began kissing her passionately.

Eventually, the two of them passed out blissfully exhausted. They had already pulled a late night having moved from the bed, to the shower. Regina had been asleep for two hours before she woke up to Emma's snoring. Thankfully, Emma didn't snore often. When she did, it made it hard for Regina to sleep. Carefully, she rolled Emma over. Emma shifted in her sleep, scrunching her nose and drifted off again, barely disturbed. Regina shook her head and laid back down. Forty five minutes later, Regina woke up to find herself clinging to the edge of the bed. She was being crowded out of bed again. She sighed irritably noting that she had to be up in another hour or so.

"Emma," she said as she nudged her. "Emma, move over." She sighed, frustrated at the lack of response. "Emma!"

Too tired to fight it anymore, Regina stood up and focused, magically moving Emma back to her side of the bed. With a satisfying sigh, she crawled back into bed and waved her hand between them, casting a barrier spell to ensure her sleeping space. Nestling in under the covers once more, Regina drifted off to sleep again. Regina had slept hard this time. She didn't even hear her alarm go off. It was Emma who woke up to the sound, confused when she saw Regina was sleeping through it. Knowing how she hates to be late, Emma reached over to wake her up. Before she could reach Regina, her hand was stopped by a small jolt of energy. Both shocked and confused, she tried again to reach Regina. When she was met with the same reaction, she began to panic. She extended her hands with her own magic to try to figure out what was happening when she realized Regina had placed a barrier around her. Suddenly, she was both hurt and angry. Emma got out of bed, walked over to the nightstand and yanked the plug to the clock from the wall before she threw it across the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Regina shot up out of bed at the crashing sound and looked at Emma.

"What the hell are you doing!?"

"Turning off your alarm!"

"By breaking the clock!? What's gotten into you?"

"Me? Nothing," she yelled as she walked into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Regina jumped out of bed to follow her but she'd locked the door behind her. Regina began to pound on the door. "Emma, open this door right now!"

"No!"

"Emma Swan, I am not going to tell you again! Open the damn door!"

When she heard the door unlock, she opened it and started to walk through the doorway. She was thrown back a bit by a barrier spell Emma had put up. "What the hell did you do!?"

"The same thing you did! If you don't want me near you, Regina, all you have to do is say so. So excuse me while I have my own fucking space," she said slamming the door.

Regina ran her hands through her hair and moved back to the door. "Emma, listen to me. You don't understand! It's not what you think!"

Regina waited a few moments but was met only with silence. "Emma, I couldn't sleep and I couldn't wake you up to ask you to move over so I put up a temporary barrier just to get some sleep before work…Emma, are you listening to me? Emma!?"

Emma opened the bathroom door, dressed for work and pushed her way past Regina. Furious, Regina followed her down the stairs to the door. "Get back here! You don't get to walk out like this! You're acting like a child!"

The only response Regina received was another slammed door in her face. Growling in frustration, she spun on her heel and stormed back up the stairs. When she reached the top of the staircase she was greeted by her concerned son.

"What happened? Where's mom?"

"Your mother's acting like a child. Nothing new here. It's fine, Henry."

Shaking his head, tired of being blown off by his mothers for being the child, he followed after her. "It's not fine. What happened?"

"Nothing you need to worry about, Henry. Now go get ready for school. I'll deal with it. Everything will be fine."

"I do have to worry about it! I'm not moving until you tell me what happened! This concerns me too," he argued with his arms crossed.

Regina sighed, defeated. She couldn't handle both of the loves of her life upset with her, especially this one. Turning to him, she ran her fingers through his hair. "Your mom is upset with me because I used magic last night. She was sort of crowding me out of bed and I couldn't sleep so I used a barrier spell to keep her on her side of the bed so I could get some rest before work. I suppose I was more tired than I realized because I slept through the alarm. She woke up before I could take the barrier away and was quite angry with me. I tried to explain it wasn't about her, but she wouldn't listen to me."

"You hurt her feelings," Henry stated plainly.

Regina winced in pain at the realization and suddenly all of her anger was replaced with guilt. "I wasn't trying to hurt her! That's the last thing I would do, Henry. You know that. I love Emma. I was just so tired. I was desperate. I didn't know what else to do. It seemed better than getting up to sleep in a different room."

"I understand, Mom. I know you wouldn't hurt Emma. But you know as well as I do that all magic-"

"Comes with a price. _Yes._ I know," she finished sarcastically. Regina ran her hand through her hair and covered her face with her palm. How in the world was she supposed to make this right? Why the hell was magic still her first instinct when it came to problem solving? You'd think she would have learned her lesson by now. Utterly exhausted and frustrated with herself, she reached out to her son. Henry wrapped his arms around her, thankful he could be useful somehow. His mother rarely ever showed vulnerability like this and he was glad to be able to comfort her. In these moments, Henry didn't feel so bad about not having magic the way his mothers did. The older he got, the more he realized his dad had been right. Magic caused more problems than it solved. Sure it could be useful, but it complicated so much more. Regina shifted in his arms, cupped his cheeks, and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"What would I do without you? I love you so much."

"I love you too, Mom."

She sighed. "How do I fix this mess?"

"Just be honest with her and tell her you're sorry. Speak from your heart."

Regina smiled. Her little boy suddenly wasn't so little anymore. Before her was a smart, sensitive young man. Tears pooled in her eyes as her heart burst with pride. She was amazed at the incredible person he'd turned out to be even having the Evil Queen to raise him. She'd tried hard to give him everything and to be the best mother she could be. Nothing had hurt her more than when she realized she'd begun to treat him the way Cora treated her when Emma came into the picture. The pain of that realization hurt even more than losing Daniel. She'd hated herself for it. She was grateful her son had not followed her example and had been able to rise above and find forgiveness in his heart for her. Regina knew his pure, loyal, ever faithful heart came from Emma. It never ceased to amaze her how grateful she truly ended up feeling that Emma was Henry's birth mother. She never imagined she could love Henry more, but she did every time she noticed the parts of him that were so like Emma. That realization now made her heart break even more for how she'd hurt her. She felt the pressure to make things right growing exponentially.

"Henry, I want you to know I am so proud of who you are. You have a heart that is so kind and so true. You are wise beyond your years. I wish I could take credit for it, but I can't. I wasn't the greatest mother in the world, and still you managed to turn out so wonderfully. I'm so thankful you were able to be better than the example I provided for you. I couldn't be more proud of you. I love you so much and I am so lucky to be your mother. You've taught me more than anyone else ever has. Thank you for never giving up on me."

"You're a great mom. I was a little hard on you when I went to find Emma. I didn't go get her because I thought you were a bad mom. You made some mistakes when that happened, but I understand. And you've set a great example for me and taught me a lot. You showed me people can change for the better…that it's never too late to turn your whole life around. You taught me the real meaning of hope. I'm glad you're my mom. I wouldn't have picked any one else to adopt me."

With tears running down her cheeks, Regina held him tight in her arms. Henry laughed and wiggled out of her arms when she began placing a thousand kisses over his face. "Ok! Ok! I get it! You love me! Can I get ready for school now?"

Regina laughed and tousled his hair. "Go on. We'll run by Granny's for breakfast."

Henry ran off towards his bathroom before he stopped in the doorway. "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"It's gonna be ok."

She smiled back at him as he nodded and shut the door behind him. "I hope so, Henry. I hope so…"

….

Once mother and son had finished breakfast, Regina sent Henry off on the bus. Henry knew she was going to see Emma at the station when she had ordered hot chocolate and a bear claw to go before they left. He wished her luck as he waved goodbye and she took a deep breath knowing she'd need it. Regina hesitated at the door of the station before going inside. She wasn't great at apologizing. It wasn't something she'd done a lot in her life. The act was something she was just getting used to. She started to panic, fumbling over what she might say, when she heard Henry's voice in her head. _Speak from your heart._ With a deep breath, she cleared her head and went inside.

As Regina has expected, Emma was throwing darts when she walked in. Sheepishly, Regina peeked around the corner and spoke softly. "I brought you breakfast."

Emma shot her a look to kill as Regina held up the cup and the bag in surrender. She'd never seen Regina look or sound so…humble. It definitely threw her a bit, but she stuck to her guns. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Madame Mayor? Need a road block somewhere? Want me to put up some cones or caution tape around your office so you're not disturbed? There are all kind of boundaries I could put up for you."

Regina looked down in guilt. "I'm sorry, Emma. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't. I'm fine," Emma replied. Her walls were fully up and Regina knew it.

"Emma, I would never want to hurt you or shut you out. I wasn't trying to keep you away from me. I was just tired. I wasn't thinking clearly. It was stupid. I just didn't know what else to do. I didn't want to sleep without you. It was the only solution I could think of at the time without sleeping in another bed."

"Gee, _Your Majesty,"_ Emma spat, "I'm sorry I disrupted your precious beauty sleep. It won't happen again."

Regina's eyes widened in fear. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing. Nothing you need to worry about. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go out on patrol. I'm sure you have a lot of work ahead of you as well."

Regina caught her arm as she passed by her and pleaded with her. "Emma, please. Please talk to me. I'm so sorry. I really am. I never meant to hurt you. You know I love being close to you."

"Yeah, you have a great way of showing that."

"Emma," she cried desperately, "I'm sorry! I love you. Please, forgive me."

"I told you. I'm fine," she said coldly as she pulled her arm away and walked out the door.

"Emma, wait!"

Regina tried running after her, but Emma was determined to get away. She ran her hands through her hair and kicked the tire of her car in frustration. David pulled into the parking lot just in time to see Regina's reaction to Emma peeling out of the lot in the cruiser. He quickly scrambled from his truck.

"Regina? What's going on? What's wrong?" When he saw her look up at him with tears in her eyes, he was truly worried.

"Emma. I tried to apologize and explain, but she won't listen to me. This is all my fault," she cried.

David placed his hands on her shoulders. "Calm down. It's going to be ok. Why don't you come inside and tell me what happened?"

Regina let him lead her inside and sat in the chair next to his. He looked at her expectantly for a moment as she sat in silence, her arms wrapped around herself. He understood she needed a moment to compose herself, but he was unsettled to see Regina so shaken and vulnerable. It concerned him to imagine what condition Emma must be in if Regina looked this way. Once she had explained everything to him, he let out a heavy sigh and nodded in understanding.

"I'm sorry, Regina."

She looked up at him in shock. "What?"

"I'm sorry you're going through this."

"You mean, you're not furious with me for hurting Emma? You're not angry?"

David laughed a little and shook his head. "No, Regina, I'm not angry. I know you didn't mean to hurt her. I know you care about her. If I'd ever doubted it before, I can certainly see it now. I can see how much your hurting over this too. It was a misunderstanding. These things happen in relationships, unfortunately. Snow and I have them. It's hard. It hurts. But you work through them. If you truly love each other, nothing will stand in your way."

Regina couldn't help but laugh a little. "You mean the _Charmings_ , the epitome of true love, fight?"

David laughed, relieved to see she felt well enough to make jabs at him still. "Yes, even Snow White and Prince Charming fight. Just give her some time, Regina. She'll come around."

"I hope so. What if I really screwed up this time and I lose her? What if I lose everything…all over again?"

David leaned forward and took her hands in his. "Regina, you are not going to lose her. This will pass. I promise you. I know my daughter. She can be…stubborn. It runs in the family," he said with a smile. "She will come around. You two have been through far worse than this and still managed to find your way to each other. Just have faith."

Regina let out a heavy sigh and nodded before getting up to leave. Before she turned the corner, she hesitated and turned back. "Thank you, David. I know it wasn't easy for you and Snow to adjust to the two of us together. It is a little crazy when you think about it. But I do appreciate your help and your support…especially after… _.everything._ "

"That's history. We know you're not that woman anymore. You've changed and you're family. Family sticks together. We're always here for you, Regina."

She smiled a little self consciously and nodded before she left. Regina's day at the office was miserable. She could hardly focus on her work and she found herself taking it out on the people she had to interact with that day. Her disappointment and worry only worsened every time she checked her phone and found no message from Emma.

When Emma made it back to the station that afternoon, David looked up at her to gauge her emotional state. "Hey…how have you been? I haven't seen you today. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," she said as she shuffled through her desk.

"You know if you need to talk, I'm here."

Emma shut the drawer abruptly and looked up at him with a sigh. "I don't want to talk about it."

David held up his hands. "All right. I won't push you. I just wanted to let you know I'm here if you need me."

"Thanks," she said flatly. "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow…"

Seeing Henry running towards the car as school let out was the first time Emma has smiled all day. He leaned over the seat and wrapped her up in a warm hug, as always. That was exactly what she had needed. She needed her son. "Hey, Kiddo! How was school today?"

"Pretty good! How was your day?"

"Fine. Boring. Did you do anything exciting today?"

He could read his mother like a book and knew she was avoiding talking about herself. "My team won the dodge ball tournament in gym class today. It was pretty fun. I scored the winning hit," he said proudly.

Emma's face lit up with pride to mirror his. "All right! Way to go, Champ! We should celebrate at Granny's. Waddya say?"

"Yeah!"

"All right then, let's go!"

Henry looked a little concerned as they headed straight towards the diner. "Should I text Mom and tell her to meet us there?"

"I'm sure she's busy with work. I was thinking it could just be us today," she said, focusing hard on the road.

Henry frowned, disappointed. "She was really upset this morning. She knows she messed up and she's really sorry."

Emma sighed and let her hand fall against the steering wheel. "Henry, I don't want to talk about this, ok? I just want to go have a fun dinner and celebrate your athletic achievements that I know you got from me. It could be fun. Like old times."

"I like now better…"

Emma looked over at him as guilt washed over her. She knew it wasn't fair to try to keep Henry away from Regina or even suggest going back to times when they were competing for time with him. "I'm sorry. It's not fair for me to bring you into our stuff. Go ahead and text your mom."

Henry looked at her for a moment before speaking. "Are you two just going to fight the whole time?"

Emma sighed and shook her head. "Henry, this dinner out is for you, ok? It's about you. No fighting. I promise."

Henry smiled and sent out a text to his mom. Regina all but dived for her phone when it went off. Her heart raced and the smile on her face made her cheeks hurt when she read the message from Henry inviting her out to dinner with him and Emma.

 _Of course I'll be there! See you in a few minutes! xo_

Henry smiled. Perhaps this would help them get back on track. Emma and Henry slipped into a booth and ordered milkshakes. Henry insisted on waiting for Regina to join them before they ordered and Emma didn't argue. When Regina arrived, she couldn't help but smile brightly at Henry. She gave Emma her own hopeful smile. Emma returned the smile briefly and awkwardly before dropping her eyes. Regina's expression faltered a bit before she recovered and focused on Henry. She slid into the seat next to him, knowing she wouldn't be welcome on Emma's side. That knowledge broke her heart and she wanted nothing more but to reach out to her and take her hand, but she refrained. Instead, she showered all of her affection on Henry.

"So, tell me what we're celebrating!"

"I scored the winning hit for my team in dodgeball today!"

"That's great, sweetheart! I'm proud of you!"

Once they had ordered, Henry regaled them with a play by play of the match. Regina couldn't help but note how detailed and descriptive he was with his stories. She smiled, thinking it was no surprise that Henry was the new Author. She exchanged a proud glance with Emma that lasted only a moment as things settled. When they had finished dinner, Regina reached for the check just before Emma swiped it away.

"I got it."

"It's ok, Emma. I can-"

"I said, I got it," Emma cut off a little forcefully.

Regina settled back in the booth in defeat. Henry looked between the two awkwardly wanting to reach out and comfort his mother. As soon as his hand touched her arm, Regina straightened up and pulled on her coat. She knew if he started to comfort her now, she'd crumble and she wouldn't do that in the public eye. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and pulled on her coat.

"I'll meet you two back at the house."

Henry was disappointed but understanding as he nodded. Emma did her best to avoid Henry's gaze as she put on her coat and tucked the money for the meal under the edge of her plate with the check. "Ready to go?"

"How long are you two going to be like this?"

She sighed as she stood, "I don't know, Henry. Let's go."

"You have to talk to her," he said as they walked to the car.

Emma spun on her heel, "No, I don't. This is between me and Regina."

"This effects me too, ya know! You're my moms!"

"That's right. And as the adults, we will handle it the way we see fit. This isn't your job to fix, Henry. Now leave it alone."

"You're being stubborn and it's not going to fix anything. You're going to make it worse."

"I said, enough! Now get in the car."

Henry climbed into the back seat defiantly and slammed the door. Emma rolled her eyes and sighed as she drove them back home. When they got home, Regina saw Henry slam the front door in Emma's face before he rushed upstairs to his room. Emma charged through the front door and called after him, but didn't get an answer. Regina looked at her surprised when she heard his bedroom door slam.

"What happened?"

"Looks like he doesn't want to be around me either," Emma said as she walked past Regina towards the study.

"Emma, this is getting ridiculous! You know that's not what happened!"

Without a word, she grabbed the bottle of whisky and pushed past Regina once more to go upstairs and shut herself in the guest bedroom. The rest of the evening was spent with each person in their own separate space. Henry buried himself in his video games, Emma in her whisky, and Regina in her glass of wine. Once she was too tired to keep reading the book she'd tried to focus on, Regina got ready for bed. Gently, she knocked on Henry's bedroom door and peeked in.

"Henry?"

"Come in."

She walked over and sat on the edge of his bed, smoothing back his hair. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He let his controller fall to his lap. "She's not being very fair to you and she made me mad. She basically said it was none of my business."

"Henry…you know she didn't mean it, right? She's just very hurt and very upset right now, and it's my fault. I'm sorry I did this to all of us."

"You said you were sorry already didn't you?"

"I did."

"Then that's enough, Mom. She's the one being stubborn."

"I understand you're upset, Henry, but she's still your mother. The way you acted today was not ok. You know better than to slam doors in people's faces."

"She did it to you this morning!"

"And was that ok?"

"No…"

"Just because your mother does something that's not ok, doesn't give you permission to. I cursed a whole kingdom because I was hurt. Do you think it's ok to do that too?"

Henry rolled his eyes with a sigh. She couldn't help but smile a little uneasily inside knowing he'd picked up that less than desirable move from her. "No."

"You need to go apologize to her, ok? I'm not excusing what she said to you, but I can't excuse your behavior either, understand?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry this is hurting you. I promise I'm trying to fix this."

"I know you are. I just wish she would."

"Just give her time, Henry. Everything will be ok. We've been through worse than this."

Henry smiled a little and nodded. She kissed him goodnight. "I love you…my prince."

"I love you too, Mom."

Regina settled into bed and checked over her messages on her phone one last time. As she was doing so, Emma entered the room quietly. Regina's head raised in surprise as she watched her walk to the bathroom. When she walked back out towards the door, Emma held up her hand.

"I needed my toothbrush."

Regina looked away disappointed and nodded sadly. Emma hesitated at the door for a moment. "Thank you…" Regina looked up at her confused.

"For talking to Henry…thank you."

"He shouldn't have treated you that way no matter how upset he was."

Emma dropped her gaze and opened the door. Before she could leave, Regina called out for her. "Emma, wait." Emma looked up at her without a word and waited. Regina sighed and scrambled for words. "I…I really am sorry. I…I miss you. I love you," she said quietly.

Emma thought it over for a moment and just nodded before closing the door. With Emma in the guest bed and Regina in theirs, both women cried themselves into a restless night apart.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Emma turned over with a heavy sigh and stared at the clock. It was 5 a.m. She'd been awake all night tossing and turning, thinking about everything that had happened. Emma was hurt, but once she'd thought about everything Regina had said, she realized she had overreacted in a big way. Instead of trying to find a solution to their problem and stay together, which was what Regina had done, Emma had separated them. Now they were both miserable and alone. With new found determination to right this wrong, Emma quickly got out out of bed. She quietly slipped past Henry's room and carefully pressed her ear to their bedroom door. Regina was in the shower as usual. With care, she snuck inside the room to get dressed and left the house on a mission.

Regina rolled her shoulders under the hot water, trying to release the tension that had been building up since the previous morning. Her eyes were red and swollen from a sleepless night filled with tears. When she got out of the shower and looked at herself in the mirror, she grew angry with herself. _Love is weakness_. Hearing her mother's voice in her head was the last thing she needed right now. When had she ever allowed herself to get so caught up in someone that they could tear her apart like this? Trying her best to summon up the strength she'd found as queen, she squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. Yet, her efforts proved to be in vain as tears over came her again. She pounded her fists into the counter top, slipped on her robe, and ran to the guest room. She knocked carefully and called out Emma's name before opening the door. When Emma was nowhere to be found, she panicked. Soon, she began to race around the house frantically calling her name. The commotion woke Henry, causing him to rush to his mother's side.

"Mom? What's wrong?"

He wrapped his arms around her when he found her slumped in the floor against the wall in the foyer. "She's gone," she whispered.

Henry panicked. "Hang on, Mom. I'll be right back." He ran to his room to grab his phone and quickly sent a text to Emma before rejoining Regina in the foyer.

"She left me," Regina cried.

Henry was beyond distraught seeing her this way. He'd never seen her so vulnerable and broken in his life. It made him wonder if this is how she'd been when she lost Daniel. His heart broke for her and his anger towards Emma grew. When his phone buzzed, he quickly opened the text.

 _I needed to do some things this morning to help fix this mess with your mom. I'm sorry I worried you, Henry. Everything is going to be ok._

Henry sighed in relief. **Just make sure you talk to her soon. She's a wreck.**

Emma's heart clenched knowing how much pain she'd caused Regina. _I will. I'm sorry, Henry. I promise I'll make this right._

"Mom, she didn't leave you, ok? I just sent her a text. She just had to run some errands. I promise. It's going to be ok."

Regina sighed and shook her head as she wiped her tears away. "I don't know about that, Henry. She won't talk to me."

"She will, Mom. I promised. Just hang in there."

Regina buried herself in her son's arms grateful for his presence in her life. She knew he was too young to have to be this strong for her, but she needed him so much. At this moment, he was all she had. Henry rubbed her back just as she used to do for him before he lifted her chin.

"Come on, Mom. Let's get ready and go have some apple pancakes at Granny's." She sighed and shifted in his arms trying to find the will to stand up. "After breakfast we can go hiking. Just you and me. How about that?"

"Henry, you have school."

"They won't miss me for just one day. It's ok. I can handle it."

She gave him a weak smiled and laughed as she tousled his hair the way Emma does. When had he suddenly become the parent? "How you never ended up completely spoiled is beyond me."

Henry gave hear big smile. "That's because I had a tough Mom."

She frowned a little. "Was I too hard on you?"

He quickly shook his head and placed his hand on her shoulder, "No! That's not what I meant. I just meant that you're strong and you always fought for what was best for me, even if it wasn't easy."

She smiled and hugged him tight. Henry mumbled against her shoulder. "So, we on for that hike?"

Regina laughed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. But don't tell _anyone._ I don't need them thinking I'm going soft."

"Don't worry, Mom. I won't ruin your reputation," he said with a wink.

Regina got dressed and made the necessary calls and excuses for them both to be released from their responsibilities for the day. She felt guilty for being so irresponsible and setting that example for Henry, but she just couldn't be the hard ass mayor of Storybrooke today. Today, she just needed to be Henry's mother.

Emma had completed phase one of her plan and decided to text Regina. She nervously tapped out the message on her phone and held her bottom lip between her teeth as she waited for a response.

 _Hi. I'm sorry about last night. I overreacted. I missed you._

Regina held her breath as she read the message. Henry looked over at her as she stared at her phone. "You, ok?" She jumped a little at his voice and nodded before looking back at her phone. "Is that mom?" Again, Regina nodded. "What did she say?"

Regina sighed and quietly uttered, "She said she's sorry…"

Henry smiled and nodded. "See? I told you everything would be ok."

Regina gave him a weak smile. If only things were that simple. While she loved hearing from Emma and knowing she missed her too, Regina was still heart broken and angry that Emma thought a text apology was sufficient. Unable to think of a single response, she put her phone aside and resumed eating her breakfast. Emma stared at her phone for about five minutes before she sighed and moved on to phase two of her operation with more determination than ever.

Henry had sent Emma a text letting her know he wasn't going to school today. He had told her that Regina needed a day off so he was taking her hiking. Emma had remembered him telling her long ago that Regina liked to go on hikes to clear her head. While her heart broke a little, she was grateful for their son. He was so compassionate and mature for his age. Regina had really done a beautiful job raising him and she was more grateful than ever that she'd been the one to adopt him.

Mid day, Regina and Henry found themselves picnicking together looking out over a cliff. It was one of their favorite places to go. They sat quietly, enjoying the peace of their special place. When Henry was younger, Regina had tried to help Henry appreciate the act of silently meditating in the woods and appreciating everything around them. For years, she'd balanced listening to Henry's enthusiastic chatter and connecting with their surroundings. Now, however, Henry understood what his mother had been trying to teach him. In fact, he'd taken to "nature therapy," as he called it, himself. Once they had packed up their lunch, Regina laid back on the blanket and stared up at the sky. Henry followed her lead and laid his head on her shoulder. A peaceful smile graced her face as she sighed in contentment. This was exactly what she needed. Regina's heart had become clear. No matter what happened in this life, one thing remained constant. Henry was her son, the center of her happiness and her entire world. No matter what happened, she would always have her little boy and nothing else mattered. He was enough and he always would be. In those woods, Henry had helped her find hope that, somehow, everything would be ok.

When she felt she had reached the point of serenity and clarity she'd been searching for, she got up and brushed herself off. Henry helped her fold up the blanket and she kissed his forehead lovingly. Her hand held his chin as she looked at him. "Thank you, Henry. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Mom."

As she packed the blanket away, Henry walked to the edge of the cliff and looked over the edge. Regina eyed him suspiciously. "Henry, what are you looking at?"

"Mom, have you ever wanted to just do something crazy and spontaneous?"

Regina raised her brow at him and spoke carefully, "Like what?"

"I was thinking cliff diving."

Regina's eyes grew wide as she approached him and pulled him back a bit. "Over my dead body."

"Oh come on, Mom! It could be so exciting! Like a rush!"

"Henry, I don't need a rush. Are you about to go on some reckless streak? Because I can't handle that right now."

Henry laughed. "It's not about being reckless, Mom. It's…well I don't know what it's about really. It'll be like flying!"

"Henry, I've flown before. It's overrated."

"So have I, remember? But what if you could fly for a moment without pixie dust or magic?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean experiencing that kind of magic without actually using….well, magic. No price," he said with a wink.

"The price is our dead bodies floating off to sea! Is this about you not having magic?"

"Not really. I've made peace with that. I just think that maybe you could use a minute as the old Regina before all the magic. I read about her…she chased those moments of freedom with horses and love when she didn't have magic. Maybe you need a little burst of life."

Tears filled her eyes. She hadn't thought about being that girl in a long time. Though, Emma had made her feel more like that young girl than anyone else had before. Moments with Emma reminded her of how she'd felt with Daniel. She thought for a moment and shook her head. "I see what you're saying, Henry, and it means so much to me to know that someone thinks of me so much…but it's too dangerous. There are other ways."

"Come on, Mom! Be spontaneous. Take a chance."

Her heart began to race. A part of her wanted to, but a bigger part of her told her it was insane. "Henry, no. We'll find another way to be spontaneous…one that doesn't require jumping to our imminent doom into frigid waters."

"If you don't. I will."

"Henry Daniel Mills! Don't you dare defy me on this. I appreciate what you're trying to do for me, but this is where I draw the line. It's too dangerous."

He took a step towards the edge and Regina responded by extending her hand and suspending him in mid air with her magic. She eyed him carefully as he looked at her surprised. "Are you finished?"

"Mom! Put me down!"

"No! Not until you promise me you won't do anything stupid!"

"Ok! Fine! I won't do anything stupid. Now put me down."

"Fine."

Once Henry was standing on the ground again, they stood and stared each other down for a moment. The intensity of the situation was instantly broken when Regina suddenly burst into fits of laughter. Henry looked at her completely confused.

"Mom? What's so funny?"

She held her stomach, doubled over laughing as tears streamed down her face. Henry looked at her a little concerned he'd pushed to the brink of insanity. "Mom? Are you ok?"

When she was finally able to catch her breath enough to speak, she put her hand on his shoulder. "You turned out a little like me after all. God help us!"

She started laughing again and he smiled brightly at her. "What did you expect? You raised me."

She kissed his cheek and held him tight. "I love you so much. Even if you drive me crazy, sometimes."

"That's my job. I'm your son."

"Indeed you are…my sweet boy."

As they began their journey home, they walked with their arms around each other, chatting and laughing easily together. Regina had taken a page from Emma's book and lightly smacked the back of his head as she threatened that if he ever pulled a stunt like that again, he'd spend the night in the Sheriff station. Henry rubbed the back of his head and looked at her in mock horror as she laughed and kissed his head once again.

By the time five o'clock rolled around, Emma had given Henry the ok to bring Regina back home. She had ended up asking Henry to keep her busy while she prepared a surprise for her at home and he was more than happy to help. When Regina pulled into the drive way, her stomach tightened a bit when she saw Emma was home. Her nerves started to get the best of her. Henry noticed the change in her energy and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's ok, Mom."

She gave him a tight smile, took a deep breath, and followed him inside. Regina attempted to busy herself hanging up their coats as Emma greeted Henry.

"Hey, kid! How was your day?"

"It was great! We took a hike and had a picnic at the cliffs. Then, we got ice cream."

"Sounds like fun! We'll have to do that together soon."

Regina noted the insecurity in her voice as she spoke, but didn't respond. Henry nodded and looked at the two of them. "I…uh…I was wondering if I could go spend some time with Gram and Gramps this evening? Maybe have dinner with them?"

"I'm sure they'd love that," Emma said with a soft smile.

Regina panicked a little. She wasn't sure if she was ready to give up the security Henry's presence gave her. She wasn't sure she was ready to face Emma alone. Still, she smiled at him and nodded her approval. He grabbed his coat and headed out the door.

"See you guys later!"

"Love you," they both called out in unison.

Once the door closed, a heavy silence filled the room as they both looked at each other awkwardly. Emma took a deep breath. "Regina, I-"

"No. You don't get to talk right now," Regina interrupted. All of her anger at the pain and vulnerability she'd been made to feel began to rise to the surface. Emma visibly shrank a little at the regal glare she received. "I understand being hurt, Emma, but you didn't make any effort to resolve the situation beyond sending me a fucking text message after running away from me for an entire day! If this is how things are going to be between us when things get tough, I don't want any part of it. Henry and I need someone who will stand with us and work through things together, not abandon us. He doesn't deserve that again and neither do I. I admit I made a mistake and I should have discussed the issue with you before using magic. I apologized for that. I'm not apologizing for anything else. You either want to be with me or you don't. Stop running away from your problems."

"I would never abandon Henry! You're right. I shouldn't have avoided you. I made everything worse. I made us both miserable and I'm sorry. I could make a thousand excuses for the way I reacted, but I won't. I should have talked to you too. I think we can both promise to try to communicate better with each other. But for you to bring Henry into this is unfair."

"I'm sorry, but you brought him into this just as much as I did. This effects him too, Emma."

She sighed heavily. "I don't want to fight anymore! Can we just start over?"

Regina ran her hand through her hair and shook her head. After a moment, she looked up at Emma again. "What do you want me to say?"

"Nothing. I don't want you to say anything. I just…I'm sorry. That's all."

"Well what are we supposed to do now? Just pretend nothing happened?"

"No, of course not."

"Then what do you want," Regina demanded impatiently.

"I want you to come upstairs with me. I have something to show you."

Regina looked at her quizzically. "What are you talking about?"

Emma held out her hand to her, "Just trust me? Please."

The softness of her voice and the look in her eyes tugged at Regina's heart. She nervously took her hand and let Emma lead her up the stairs towards their room. Emma pushed open the bedroom door and gestured fore her to go inside. Regina eyed her suspiciously before entering the room. As soon as she did, her jaw dropped. In place of their old bed was a brand new, beautifully crafted king size bed. In addition to the bed, Emma had pretty much redecorated their bedroom. She had carefully selected a black and white bedroom suit that reminded her of Regina's style as soon as she'd seen it. The pillows and sheets had been carefully selected and determined fit for her queen. Around the room were newly framed family photos featuring the lovers together and some with their son. Regina was completely speechless as she examined every detail of the room. She looked at Emma in awe.

"You did all this?"

Emma nodded shyly. "Yeah. I did some scrambling around today. Do you like it?"

Regina's eyes sparkled with tears as she gave Emma a true smile. "I love it."

Emma's face lit up with pride and joy. She let out a heavy sigh of relief, "Oh, thank God. You are definitely the decorator in this family and I was hoping I didn't royally screw this up."

Regina laughed and wrapped her arms around Emma at last. "You've learned well, dear."

"Does this mean we're gonna be ok," Emma asked hopefully.

Regina pressed a loving kiss to Emma's lips in response. "I love you."

"I love you too," Emma replied before anxiously wrapping her arms around Regina and claiming her lips again. The two kissed passionately as if they were starved for each other.

"God, I missed you so much," Emma mumbled against her lips.

Regina's hands were moving all over Emma's body. "Mm, I missed you too."

Emma pressed Regina against the bedroom door, hungrily kissed and nipped at her neck. Regina let a soft moan escape her lips as her head leaned back against the door. She was only able to remain submissive for a moment before she framed Emma's face and claimed her lips again. Their tongues mingled frantically between quick hot breaths. The two found themselves moving toward the new bed. Emma swiftly turned Regina's back to the bed and firmly gripped her backside, lifting her onto the bed. In one fluid motion, she fell over top of Regina, their hands clasped above her head. The queen yelped in surprise as her savior smirked. A wave of determination came over her as she flipped Emma onto her her back and pinned her down in return.

"I am taking you right here, right now."

A wave of heat coursed through Emma's body, caressed by the deep velvety voice in her ear. "And what if I want you?"

"You're mine now, Sheriff, and I _will_ have my way with you…" Regina brought her lips to lightly brush against Emma's ear as she said, "…if it is the last thing I do."

Emma groaned in response, lifting her hips to press herself against Regina's thigh. Regina grabbed her hips and forced them back down against the bed. She laced her fingers with Emma's above her head and began kissing, nipping, and sucking hungrily at her neck. Usually, they were careful not to leave marks where any one else could see, but Regina was purposefully claiming her as her own this time. She wanted to leave her mark on Emma for everyone else to see. Emma hummed with pleasure as Regina's hands drifted down her arms to her sides, and then underneath her shirt. Her palms slowly caressed her sides and stomach before she brought them out to pull Emma up suddenly by the collar of her shirt. Emma followed with a gasp as Regina ripped the shirt off over her head and threw it to the side. She reached behind Emma to unclasp her bra and pushed her back forcefully onto the bed. After discarding the bra, Regina brought her hands and mouth to feast upon breasts that were only for her to enjoy. Emma writhed beneath her, the heat inside her building.

"Oh, Regina…"

With a flick of her wrist, Emma's pants disappeared, leaving her completely exposed to her queen. Regina kissed her way down Emma's toned body, covering every inch of her with her mouth. Once she'd kissed her way up Emma's inner thighs, she slowly pushed them apart and gently spread her lips open to her. The feel of cool air on the place that was aching most for attention made Emma groan in anticipation. Regina circled her fingers on her outer lips, opening and closing them, the delicate sensation teasing Emma to the point of insanity.

"Please, Regina…"

The queen gave a wicked grin in return and let her warm breath wash over her. Emma pressed her head back into the bed, clasping her lower lip between her teeth. Slowly, Regina ran her fingers through Emma's folds, coating them with her arousal before bringing her mouth over her. Lips and tongue moved expertly over her, teasing and devouring all the right places. The sheriff's hands tangled in her hair, encouraging and begging the woman between her legs for more. Regina was never one to disappoint. Slowly, she slipped two fingers inside of Emma, eliciting a deep groan from her. She continued loving her with her mouth as she pumped her fingers in and out of her, bringing her closer to climax. When she felt Emma getting higher and higher, she moved her body upwards to cover Emma's and inserted one more finger inside of her.

"I want you to come for me, Emma."

With that, Regina began moving in and out of her faster and deeper with every thrust. She wanted to watch the wave of pure pleasure wash over Emma's face when she reached that point of ecstasy. Regina always loved watching the effect she had on people. Watching Emma was addictive. As Emma's cries of pleasure escalated, Regina found herself getting warmer and warmer. She found herself moaning in response to Emma's reaction to her. When Emma finally peaked, they cried out together, desperately clinging to each other.

"Oh, God! Fuck! Regina!"

"Emma!"

Once Emma caught her breath, she wasted no time returning the favor. It was her turn to claim this exotic woman for herself. She swiftly rolled Regina onto her back and straddled her before ripping open her button up shirt. Regina gasped in surprise, fire burning in her eyes.

"You're mine now, _your majesty."_

Their lips crashed together with a new found hunger. Emma grabbed the sides of Regina's shirt and pulled her to sit up while she remained on her lap. Their lips never parted as Emma pushed the shirt off of Regina's shoulders and discarded her bra. Regina wrapped her arms around Emma, reveling in the feeling of their skin pressed together. She rubbed her cheek against Emma's breast in the most loving way. The gesture touched Emma's heart deeply. She gently framed Regina's face and brought her lips to hers in a tender, loving kiss. Her hands caressed Regina's back before she began to run her fingers through her hair. It was something she'd learned early on that Regina loved. Emma cradled her head as she pushed her to lay back. She kissed slowly and lovingly down her neck and chest before devouring her perfect breasts. Regina's fingers tangled in Emma's hair as she moaned with pleasure.

"Oh, Emma…"

While Regina liked a little aggression in the bedroom, Emma also knew how important this tenderness was to her as well. She'd spent her time as the evil queen possessing others and using her sexuality as a weapon. She hadn't truly made love to anyone before Emma since Daniel had died. The act had been purely for pleasure and power. It was a way for her to maintain control. While that feeling was still something Regina needed, this kind of gentle loving was something that caressed her soul in ways she had been starved for. She hadn't realized how ready and desperate for release Regina was until she let her fingers gently slip between Regina's legs. That small action elicited a passionate cry from the queen as she raised her hips and pressed her head back into the pillow.

"Oh, God! Emma!"

A surge of heat went through Emma at the sound of her name on Regina's lips. The sounds alone Regina made while making love were enough to bring her to her own orgasm. Desperate to hear more, she began to gently circle her fingers between her folds. Regina's breathing grew heavier as she whimpered in response, needing more. Emma lowered herself between her legs, anxious to taste the sweetness awaiting her. There was no teasing this time. They were both too needy. Emma moved her mouth hungrily over Regina, lapping up every bit of her. The warmth of her breath and the gentle vibration of her soft moans made Regina tremble. Her stomach tightened as she closed her thighs around Emma's head. Emma grabbed her hips and lifted her more to her mouth as she continued to savor her. Regina's head tossed back and forth as her cries of passion grew louder.

"Oh, God…Emma! Yes! Oh, fuck me, Emma!"

Emma moaned loudly in response, feeling her own orgasm building. Without hesitation, she sank her fingers deep inside of Regina as she continued to moved her mouth on her. With each thrust, Regina's inhibitions flew out the window. This was always the most vulnerable and open Regina was with her. She didn't think twice about begging or what she might sound like. She was clay in Emma's hands and that knowledge made Emma more aroused than anything else. With every desperate cry for release, Emma picked up the pace, moaning with her. Her stomach clenched once more hearing Regina so close to completion. Their bodies were slick with sweat and hotter than ever. The tension of the moment between them was heavy and raw.

"Emma! Fuck! Oh! Oh, Yes! Yes!"

They clinged to each other with a force neither of them knew they had as their mutual orgasms washed over them. Once Emma caught her breath, she looked down at her lover in awe. Regina was more beautiful in this moment than she'd ever see her. Her eyes were closed as she continued to try to even out her breathing. Emma gently brushed aside a lock of her hair, glistening with perspiration. There was something so exquisite about her in this natural, uninhibited, loving state. How she could have ever stayed away from this woman was beyond her understanding. She pulled Regina close to her in her arms and pressed soft kisses to her head. Never again would she ever leave her side. They needed each other. Regina was as necessary to her as water or air. She loved her beyond all reason. Soon, they found themselves drifting off into a deep, peaceful rest.

At 4:30, Regina's eyes fluttered as she woke to find herself nose to nose with her lover. A soft smile crept across her lips as she watched her sleep. Carefully, she brought her finger to lightly run down the bridge of Emma's nose. She couldn't contain her giggles as Emma's nose twitched in response. Gently, she pressed her lips to her in a loving kiss causing Emma to stir. Without opening her eyes, Emma spoke.

"You're awake."

Regina giggled again. "Mhmm. Are you?"

"I am now."

"Then open your eyes."

Emma opened one eye to peek at her causing Regina to laughed and roll on top of her. She then showered her face with kisses. Emma laughed and brought her hands to rest on her hips. "Did you sleep ok?"

Regina rubbed her nose against Emma's. "Better than ever."

Emma smiled. "Good. Me too."

"What do you say to having the first round of morning sex in the new bed," Regina asked with a wink.

Emma glanced at the clock and groaned in mock horror. "You're gonna be the death of me."

"Well the French do call orgasms 'the little death' so…perhaps."

"All right then. Let's do this thing," Emma said with a sigh.

Regina sat up and smacked Emma's shoulder. "I am no thing! I'm sorry that having sex is such a chore for you. I'm sure I could find someone else who would be more accommodating."

Emma rolled her over and claimed her lips passionately. "Don't even think about it."

Regina laughed and kissed her once more. "Are you sure I'm not too much for you to handle, dear?"

"Most of the time, yes. But no one else is more up for the challenge than I am. You have no idea what I am capable of."

Regina raised her head so that she was nose to nose with her. "Then show me," she challenged.

The two of them spent the morning making love in the new bed before moving to the shower. While getting ready, Emma noticed the impressive mark Regina had left her with the night before.

"What the hell! How am I supposed to cover this up!?"

Regina smirked. "You're not."

"Regina, my parents will have to see this."

The idea of Snow's mortified expression sent her into a fit of laughter. Emma put her hands on her hips, completely unimpressed. "Oh you think this is funny? Then you can also explain what this is to our son."

Suddenly, Regina stopped laughing and her eyes grew wide. "Oh God, I forgot about Henry."

Emma smirked in triumph. "Yep. Have fun with that one."

"Emma, I can't tell him I did that to you!"

"He's gonna have to learn where they come from sooner or later. Might as well embarrass the kid now. It may scar him enough to never do it himself."

"Oh my God, can we not talk about Henry giving hickeys? That's my little boy you're talking about."

Emma chuckled at the paleness washing over Regina's face. "Babe, you're going to have to accept the fact that he's growing up and he needs to know about these things. Besides, it's not like he hasn't had some close encounters already. We walked in on my parents and he's nearly walked in on us."

"Do not remind me about your idiot parent's almost scarring my son for life. No one needs to walk in on that."

"Hey! No sympathy for me? I was scarred too!"

Regina patted Emma on the head. "It's all right, dear. They were just making tacos."

Regina turned around with a smirk before Emma smacked her rear end. She yelped and swiftly spun on her heel. Emma crossed her arms, challenging the death glare she was receiving. Regina turned and finished getting ready, letting Emma win…for now. After work that day, the two met the Charmings at Granny's for dinner to pick up Henry. They'd honestly almost forgotten about Emma's little love bite before Henry had taken notice of it after hugging them.

"Mom, what's wrong with your neck? Did you get bitten?"

Snow's face turned whiter than her namesake and David quickly began staring a hole in the floor. Regina, however turned bright red while Emma remained calm. With a sigh she put a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, Henry. I did."

"By what," he asked concerned.

"Your mom."

Regina hit Emma's shoulder hard. "Emma! A little more tact would be nice!"

"You did that!?" The look on Henry's face was one of horror.

"Not like that! I mean…I wasn't…We were…"

Emma put her hand on her shoulder to stop the rambling fit she was in while David suggested he and Snow grab a table. "Henry, it's not what you think. Your mom and I were….making up…and sometimes when people are kissing…they can make spots like that."

Henry scrunched up his nose and held up his hand to stop her. "Hickey. Got it. Thanks. Gross."

"It is not gross! And how do you know what a hickey is," Regina started as she followed him to the table.

Emma put her hand on her shoulder. "I think we've had enough family awkwardness for now, babe."

Henry hid behind the menu he didn't need. "Now I'm wondering if things were better with them fighting."

Emma swiftly smacked Henry in the back of the head as Regina glared at them both. Snow quickly attempted to diffuse the situation. "Who wants a milkshake!?"

"I do," Henry and Emma exclaimed in unison. Regina rolled her eyes at how quickly both of her "children" were distracted by junk food and David couldn't helped but laugh at his family's character.

The bigger bed helped in more ways than one, but there were still a couple of instances where Regina would find herself on the edge. It was Emma who ended up casting a new barrier spell around the perimeter of the bed to keep them from being pushed out. Emma was awarded handsomely for her creativity and team work by christening the new bed with some more exotic adventures. They even found themselves discussing the idea of expanding their family in that bed. Needless to say, a little redecorating had the couple well on their way to bigger and better things.

 **A/N:** Hey guys! Sorry it took so long! I hope the ending was worth it and that you enjoyed it. Thanks for going on this fluffy little journey with me! :)


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